Alison Grimes on Health Care

Kynect heroically for expanding Medicaid under ObamaCare

Grimes called the Democratic governor, a longtime enemy of her father, heroic for expanding Medicaid under ObamaCare: "Over half a million Kentuckians' lives are better as a result of Gov. [Steve] Beshear's expansion of Medicaid and creation of our
state-based exchange."

She warned that McConnell would take away coverage from half a million people who can now get prescriptions and visit doctor.

Interestingly, while "ObamaCare" is unpopular, the state's health expansion, called "Kynect," actually is. McConnell has gotten himself in hot water before by trying to draw a distinction between the federal law and
the state program. While he criticized Medicaid expansion, he responded when asked if he would do away with Kynect: "It's a state decision. That's fine. I think it's fine to have a website. Yeah."

Concerned with some aspects of ObamaCare

Smart politics or political cowardice? Grimes' relative silence as Kentucky kicked off its implementation of ObamaCare is one or the other, depending on the person asked.

Grimes' campaign spent the week ripping McConnell for his part in the shutdown.
Neither she nor her campaign had anything to say publicly about the launch of Kentucky's health insurance exchange.

If Grimes embraced the law, McConnell's campaign would be thrilled, seeing much-needed ammunition with which to tie Grimes to Obama and
Washington Democrats. But to abandon ObamaCare would likely cause Grimes serious trouble with her Democratic base.

Grimes's campaign disputed that Grimes has in any way shrunk from the issue, stating: "Alison has heard from Kentucky businesses and
families who are afraid their rates are going up. She is concerned with some aspects of health reform, specifically the regulatory burden placed on small businesses, and believes Congress must come together to provide businesses additional tax relief."

Source: Sam Youngman in Herald-Leader, "Grimes Quiet"
, Oct 5, 2013

Delay mandated coverage, but keep ObamaCare

On the Affordable Care Act, Grimes was cautiously critical. "I am troubled by some of the provisions," she said, and for the first time said exactly which one. "There are 700,000 businesses in Kentucky and I am concerned that especially the smaller ones
are overburdened," she said.

Her suggestion: delay the imposition of the coverage mandate on small business, as the president already has done for larger corporations. "The mandate will not work for many small businesses in Kentucky," she said, "so
I believe that a delay is the right course so that changes can be made."

She also blasted McConnell for wanting to abandon the law altogether, pointing out that the state's health ratings are among the worst in the nation, and that other
provisions in the law will extend coverage to an estimated 600,000 more Kentuckians. "Unlike Sen. McConnell, I don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water," she said.